Harry Potter and the Curse of Love and Hate
by ToddSchatten
Summary: Harry's saved the world, muggle and wizard alike; Voldemort's dead, as are the Death Eaters but at a price.


Harry Potter and the Curse of Love and Hate

Harry's saved the world, muggle and wizard alike; Voldemort's dead, as are the Death Eaters but at a price. Sirius and Dumbledore are dead, as is Ron, by the hands of…Dumbledore! Harry's world was turned upside down but he managed, if only slightly, to make it right again. So why is his world falling apart once more?

*Author's Notes*

First and foremost, I AM a Harry and Hermione supporter, it may not be so in all the stories I write, but can usually be counted on.

Second, and as important as my first point, I do NOT like Ron and will usually bash him, along with his mother, Molly, and sister, Ginny. In my view he's stupid and selfish, his mother is a nutter and his sister is silently obsessive.

(If you don't like the above mentioned, don't read what I write. You're entitled to your opinion and I strongly advocate "to each their own.")

Now about this story, I began writing this several years ago and believed I'd lost it with all my others but it survived. The ideas for/and of it came before I knew of Dumbledore's death and that of Sirius', which I added to coincide with the books but I will still have Dumbledore's death as I had originally planned.

All that being said I will update as often as I can and hope for any and all feedback. If you don't like something, tell me. I may not change it but that's my choice . If you're too much of an ass about it, expect a heated reply. Now without further ramblings…Enjoy!

Prologue

"Harry, do you understand what I'm saying," Dumbledore asked, concern showing in his old eyes.

"Yes professor," Harry replied sadly, "but why, after all this time telling me I had a chance, do you now tell me Tom's too strong for me to destroy?"

"Well Harry…" Dumbledore began slowly, avoiding his deep emerald gaze, eyes filled with hurt and unasked questions, "I made a mistake and sadly you have to pay for it."

Harry's eyes went wide in shock. "W-what!" Harry stuttered, not sure he'd heard the old wizard correctly.

"You heard me correctly Harry," Dumbledore replied, still not looking him in the eyes, "I must get you out of here and tonight I'm afraid."

"Where am I going," Harry asked quickly, "will I get to tell anyone good-bye?"

"It's an island, unknown by everyone but myself," Dumbledore replied, no emotion showing on his face, "as for telling people good-bye, you can't, we haven't the time to do so and the less they know for now the better."

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing; it seemed that his world could never stay up-right. He always felt like he was holding on so he wouldn't fall into oblivion. What about his friends: Hermione and Ron, Neville and Luna, Ginny and the rest of the D.A.D.A. group? He couldn't handle this anymore; it seemed like in his desperate attempts to keep his world even partially stable, as much so with Voldemort being in it, the more people he lost along the way.

_"My parents are dead because Voldemort chose me as his threat, Cedric's died because of me, and Sirius' death is because I'm too weak; now my friends are going to lose me without a reason as to why. They're going to think I left them…they're going to hate me…"_

A single tear fell from his eye, looking up at Dumbledore he asked, "but why…"

"Now isn't the time for this Potter; now quickly, go get your things and speak to no one," Dumbledore spoke hastily, then more hesitantly, "Harry, I'm…err…sorry that I just dropped this on you so suddenly, but you must leave tonight. You more than most know how unfair life can be…Now go."

Wiping the tear from his face Harry quietly replied, "ok," and made his way towards the door. As he opened it Dumbledore spoke again, "Oh and Harry, don't worry about Hedwig; she won't be coming with you. We can't allow Tom to acquire anything that could help him in finding out your whereabouts."

"Yes sir," Harry replied softly as he shut the door behind him.

As Harry made his way back to the Gryffindor tower he couldn't stop the tears that fell_. "Why am I always alone," _wondered Harry. _"My parents death left me stuck at the Dursley's, then I find out I'm a wizard and come here only to return back to that hell every summer and now I have to leave everybody behind during my last year to be alone yet again,"_ as he mumbled the password to the portrait.

"Why what's wrong my dear boy," asked the Fat Lady in genuine concern, "is there anything I can do to help?"

"My world's falling apart," Harry choked, "can you please let me in?"

"Well of course." And with that the picture swung open.

As Harry walked into the common room he didn't bother to wipe the tears off his face; no one knew that he was awake, that another nightmare had awaken him. He'd began to sleep with a silencing charm around his bunk so he wouldn't wake the others he shared the room with. Dumbledore had found him walking around the seventh floor. Stepping through the doorway into the common room he saw Hermione sitting by the fire and stopped. Curled up in an armchair, reading a book, he couldn't help but feel a sting of pain in his chest.

"_She looks so at peace right now,"_ Harry thought as he continued to watch her. _"So beautiful and she doesn't even see it herself."_

Fresh tears began to fall once more as he tried to call out to her. " 'Mi.." he choked on the sobs he' been trying to suppress. Startled she looked around quickly and when she saw him the concern in her eyes caused him to finally break down. Rushing to him, not even bothering to avoid the furniture, she simply sprang over the couch. Reaching him as he dropped to the floor she sat with her arms around him protectively, whispering soothing words. She tenderly rocked him as he held her desperately, slowly calming down and regaining his composer.

"Harry," Hermione asked, still holding him close, "what's wrong; what'd Dumbledore say."

"I…he…" he tried to reply. _"I may never have the chance to tell her how I feel," _thought Harry. _"What if she doesn't feel the same or worse she does and something happens to me?" "To hell with it Potter, your worlds falling apart anyways, what's one more thing to the list," _a voice echoed in his head.

" 'Mione, I want you to know something," whispered Harry into her neck before he leaned back in her embrace, looking deep into her warm, dark eyes. "You've always been there for me, no matter what; without fail, without question, and I've never been completely truthful with you…" He swallowed and with a tremor in his voice and with slight hesitation he spoke the words he'd been painfully hiding away, "Hermione, for a long time now there's something I've been hiding from you, afraid you'd turn me away, but I may never have another chance to tell you this…I love you Hermione, with all my soul. No matter what happens I always will; that's why I couldn't be with Ginny, I never wanted her…only you."

Her chocolate brown eyes, wide in shock, stared into his emerald green eyes, still glistening with tears. She tried to speak but couldn't find the words and before she could react further his lips gently found her in a short but emotionally passionate kiss. As he pulled back he searched her eyes, now shimmering with unshed tears and found what he'd always wanted to see…love…for him. He reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers and began walking towards the dorm rooms.

"We need to wake the others," Harry said, "I've got bad news."

Sitting in the common room, after waking Ron, Neville, and Ginny, Harry quickly told them everything Dumbledore had said. Looking around at his friends, the only family he felt he really had, his forehead wrinkled with a nagging thought; just outside of realization.

"What is it Harry," Neville asked being the first to see Harry's face.

"Something's not right about all this," Harry replied, "am I the only one that's getting that feeling?"

"Dumbledore has been acting weirder than he normally does," Ron said, "well not weird actually, which is weird for him."

Squeezing Hermione's hand Harry slowly stood up. Looking around at his friends he sighed deeply.

"I need to ask you lot for one last favor."


End file.
